Park Place students shed light on forgotten WWII memorial

It's tucked away so quietly that few people even know it's there ' which is exactly why a group of Park Place Middle School students have been working to shine a spotlight on Monroe's World War II monument.

To accomplish the research, Park Place Middle School teachers Tonia Boyle and Dottie Simoni tasked their eighth-grade humanities students, who have been working since February to amass data on the 18 Monroe residents who lost their lives during World War II. Eventually, they hope to honor each veteran by having their names added to the monument, which stands discreetly at the north end of Memorial Field near the intersection of Kelsey and Hill streets.

Honoring the forgotten

Simoni and Boyle initially conceptualized the idea of having their students study the fallen WWII veterans in 2013, but at that point, no one had formally gathered the names. To get the list, they worked with Monroe Historical Society volunteer Tom Parry, who helped with the research. Eventually, the students were able to go to work.

"They've gotten some amazing stories so far,GÇ¥ Simoni said. "It's kind of our way to thank these boys that sacrificed everything.GÇ¥

Each student participating in the project was given the opportunity to research one or more of the veterans who died in between 1943 and 1945. Sometimes, the information was plentiful; other times, Monroe's war heroes lay silently in their graves.

The project will culminate with the students presenting what they learned about the veterans in a ceremony at Park Place Middle School (1408 W. Main St.) at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3. The "Gone but Not ForgottenGÇ¥ event will feature a panel of local veterans that will facilitate a question-and-answer session after the presentations.

As an added component, the students are fundraising for the completion of the monument, which will include incorporating the names of the 18 young men who lost their lives.

Going back in time

To accomplish the research, the students spent time at the Monroe Historical Society, chatting with Monroe residents Tom Parry and Merv Boyes. Both Parry and Boyes are Monroe High School graduates who served in the military. Boyes, who served in WWII, knew some of the soldiers who died.

In addition to the historical society, the students used library resources, microfiche, old yearbooks, newspaper archives and the Internet to collect additional data.

Fourteen-year-old Alex McCartney studied Henry Hooper, a Private First Class in the U.S. Army who died in Germany on April 17, 1945. McCartney was able to discover a wealth of information about Hooper by tracking down one of his cousins.

"He's 91 or 92, and he's in good shape, too, so he was able to give me tons and tons of information on him,GÇ¥ McCartney said. "He lives in Oregon, so I talked to him on the phone.GÇ¥

Hooper was drafted on April 9, 1943, at age 18, and served in Germany, Belgium and France. He died in combat during a battle that took place near Schierke-Braunlage in Germany.

"He received a Bronze Star [medal], Purple Heart, a European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, WWII Victory Medal and WWII Service lapel button,GÇ¥ McCartney said. "The only thing his relatives got back was a wristwatch.GÇ¥

Hooper is buried at the American War Cemetery in the Netherlands because, according to his father, he wished to be buried near where he fell. Hooper's grave has been adopted by former U.S. Marine Eric Schabell, who lives in the Netherlands and visits the grave at least once a year. A total of 8,301 soldiers are buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery, and all of the graves have been adopted by local families.

McCartney enjoyed the research aspect of the project, particularly the opportunity to speak with Hooper's cousin.

"I'm just glad that I could be a part of this,GÇ¥ McCartney said. "I was so happy to find someone to talk to about Henry ' I was just jumping for joy. I actually enjoyed it a lot and history is probably one of my favorite subjects, especially American history.GÇ¥

Interment history included

Summer Lazenby studied Tom Haji, a Japanese American who came to Monroe with his family in 1938 from the town of Skykomish, where his father worked for the railroad. Haji was a popular and well-liked student at Monroe High School, as was his sister, Hiroko. He participated in scholastic clubs, was on the honor roll and played multiple sports, even making a 55-yard run during a football game at Memorial Field, the very field where the WWII monument stands today.

In 1942, between 110,000 and 120,000 Japanese-Americans were forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated in internment camps. Of those forced into the camps, 80,000 were second-generation American citizens. Haji's family, the only Japanese-American family in Monroe at that time, was among those forced into the camps. He was a junior when they left.

Despite the forced interments, numerous Japanese Americans served in WWII. There was even an all-Japanese-American military unit called the 442nd Regimental Combat Team that fought battles in Italy, France and Germany. Haji fought with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, receiving a Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart and other acknowledgements. He was killed in the Mount Belvedere area of Italy on April 9, 1945.

"Really, the main reason he went off to war was to kind of prove his family's innocence,GÇ¥ Lazenby said. "He just wanted to prove that for his family.GÇ¥

On March 2, 2009, Monroe High School presented Hiroko with her brother's diploma during a posthumous presentation. Upon her death in 2012, Hiroko left $100,000 to the Monroe Historical Society as a way of giving back to the community that welcomed her family without judgement.

"They loved Monroe, and they really felt accepted here,GÇ¥ Simoni said.

Some still "missing in action'

Kennady Proctor studied Monroe resident Raymond Handley, who enlisted in the U.S. Navy after high school. Handley served as an electrician on the U.S.S. Bismarck, which was hit and sunk by two Japanese kamikazes on Feb. 21, 1945. He was 23 years old.

"He could have aborted the ship with hundreds of others, but he decided to stay on that ship and help out other people and try to get everybody else out,GÇ¥ Proctor said. "They never found his body, so after seven years, they finally pronounced him Missing in Action.GÇ¥

The WWII monument was installed in 1951 by the American Legion Arthur Kincaid Post No. 58, which supports Boyle and Simoni's efforts, as does the Monroe Historical Society.

"The Monroe Historical Society has been trying to increase community awareness of this long-neglected monument for some time,GÇ¥ said President Tami Kinney. "We are delighted that the students and teachers have taken an interest in this important piece of Monroe history, and we support their efforts to refurbish and complete it.GÇ¥

The "Gone but Not ForgottenGÇ¥ presentation on June 3 is free to attend. Donations to support the project can be made during the event or to the WWII Memorial Fund c/o the Monroe Historical Society, www.monroehistoricalsociety.org.-á